It has been a year since the launch of the joint military offensive, Operation Zarb-e-Azb by Pakistan’s armed forces against various miscreants in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA), a constituent of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Zarb-e-Azb is being executed by fighter and reconnaissance elements of the Pakistan Air Force, ground troops, air surveillance and tactical air platforms of the Pakistan Army and Special Forces from the army and navy. The operation is being conducted against criminals comprising of diverse militant groups, including the Tehreek-i- Taliban Pakistan (TTP), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Jundullah, al Qaeda, the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) and the Haqqani Network. It has been argued that Zarb.e.Azb has broken the backbone of terrorists but the fact is that TTP threat is still not over. The TTP is insistent on creating a sectarian strife in Punjab, as many members of the possible targets belonged to two specific sects. They have threatened to attack shines for this purpose. This group also has Red Mosque sympathisers, who want revenge from some high-ranking political figures, ones that were part of the Musharraf government.We made real headway as late as 2009, with ‘Operation Rah-e-Rast’, when the Pakistan Army reclaimed the area of Swat. On a larger scale, Operation Zarb-e-Azb in 2014 destroyed the communication lines of terrorists. It has been claimed that for the first time in over a decade, relative peace prevails in the country. Maybe, this is not enough to tackle the problem. Lives are still being lost as the TTP eliminating everyone who tries to fight with them. The list of suspected targets include Imran Khan, Pervez Musharraf, Asfandyar Wali, Sheikh Rashid, Fazlur Rehman, Aftab Sherpao and Sahibzada Hamid Raz. Moreover, noted figures including Hamza Shahbaz Sharif, Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Abdul Rehman Kanju have also been warned. Today, Pakistan is fighting a war for its very survival against this faceless enemy. With politicians the new target, maybe a different strategy to tackle terrorism is necessary.
pk.shafaqna.com
